1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser beam treatment apparatus using a low-reactive level laser therapy (LLLT), and more particularly to a laser beam treatment apparatus that has improved safety and wider application ranges.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams schematically illustrating the overall structure of a conventional laser beam treatment apparatus. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the conventional laser beam treatment apparatus is made up of a laser beam generating part 100, a projecting part 200, a switch part 300, and a power supply part 400. The laser beam generating part 100 generates a single-color laser beam of a wavelength of approximately 670 nm in the red color range at a power level of 60 mW to 100 mW. The projecting part 200 condenses the single-color laser beam on a treatment object region 500 of a patient. The switch part 300 controls the output of the single-color laser beam emitted by the laser beam generating part 100. The power supply part 400 supplies a current to the laser beam generating part 100.
The projecting part 200 includes an optical system having an optical axis aligned in an outgoing direction of the laser beam generating part 100 in which the single-color laser beam travels. A front end part of the projecting part 200 is a focal plane when the switch part 300 is in an ON state. The switch part 300 has a probe 300a formed of a frame member which is slidably provided around an outer surface of the projecting part 200. When the probe 300a is pushed against the patient, the switch part 300 is turned ON, so that the laser beam generating part 100 is supplied with current from the power supply part 400. Thus, the single-color laser beam is projected onto the treatment object region 400.
A description will be given of a treatment operation of the conventional laser beam treatment apparatus thus configured. Before a treatment is initiated, the probe 300a of the switch part 300 protrudes from the projecting part 200, as shown in FIG. 1A. In this state, the switch 300 blocks the current to the laser beam generating part 100 from the power supply part 400. Thus, the laser beam generating part 100 does not generate the single-color laser beam.
In the above state, when the probe 300a is pushed against the treatment object region 500 on the skin of a patient, the probe 300a goes down while depressing the skin. Thus, the switch part 300 is turned ON, so that current can be supplied to the laser beam generating part 100 from the power supply part 400. The laser beam generating part 100 supplied with the current generates a single-color laser beam of approximately 670 nm at a power level of 60 mW to 100 mW. The projecting part 200 condenses the single-color laser beam on the treatment object region 500 located in the focal plane. Thus, a pain due to inflammation of the treatment object region 500 is relaxed, so that analgesic, activation of cell and tissue, and immunity can be enhanced.
Retina disease which may be caused at an output level of 60 mW to 100 mW in LLLT can be avoided by preventing the single-color laser beam from being radiated to the outside of the projecting part 200 in such a manner that the probe 300a of the switch part 300 is pushed against the treatment object region 500. Thus, it is possible to prevent the single-color laser beam emitted by the laser beam generating part 100 from being incident to an eye of the patient.
However, the conventional laser beam treatment apparatus thus constructed has a disadvantage in that the probe 300a of the switch 300 must be continuously pushed against the treatment object region 500 onto which the single-color laser beam is to be projected. Thus, in a case where the treatment object region 500 is an exposed wounded skin part (for example, herpes zoster with a water blister, a burn or scald), LLLT cannot be employed.
Particularly, since the laser beam used in LLLT is a single-color light, the light must be set at an output level of 60 mW to 100 mW, which may, however, cause retina disease.
The probe 300a of the switch part 300 is pushed against the treatment object region 500 onto which a spot of the single-color laser beam is projected. Thus, it is difficult to efficiently project the laser beam onto the treatment object region 500, if the region 500 is wide. Thus, treatment cannot be performed efficiently.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser beam treatment apparatus which has enhanced safety and enables efficient treatment in LLLT.
The above object of the present invention is achieved by a laser beam treatment apparatus including a laser beam generating part generating and emitting a plurality of laser beams of different colors, and a projecting part condensing the plurality of laser beams and projecting the laser beams onto a treatment object region. The laser beams can be emitted at a lower level than that used in the conventional apparatus. In this case, the laser beams of the different colors related to different physiological actions collaborate with each other, so that the effects brought by LLLT can be enhanced. The output level of the laser beams is as low as 5 mW, so that safety can be ensured.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the invention may be configured so that the projecting part emits, for example, a laser beam of blue, a laser beam of green, and a laser beam of red. The laser beam of blue increases activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, and the laser beam of red increases activity in the sympathetic nervous system. The laser beam of green increases activity in adjustment of the balance between the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. Thus, it is possible to adjust the autonomic nervous system more effectively. That is, the laser beam of red increases activity in the sympathetic nervous system so that a tendency toward excitation is caused in a living body, whereas the laser beam of blue increases activity in the parasympathetic nervous system so that excitation of a living body can be suppressed. The laser beam of green has intermediate performance between the laser beams of red and blue, and acts on both the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system, so that the balance therebetween can be adjusted.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the present invention may be configured as follows. The projecting part emits the laser beam of green at a constant reference output level, and emits the laser beams of red and blue so that the output levels of the red and blue laser beams vary oppositely with respect to the constant reference output level. Thus, the balance between the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system can be adjusted by the laser beam of green emitted at the constant reference output level, while the laser beams of blue and red alternately stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. It is thus possible to rapidly and forcedly adjust the autonomic nervous system.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the present invention may be configured so that the projecting part emits the laser beams of blue and red in a pulse-like formation in which the output levels thereof vary at a frequency of a few Hz to 1 kHz. It is therefore possible to accurately and rapidly perform the adjustment operation and to improve the treatment effects.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the present invention may be configured so that the projecting part emits the laser beams of blue, green and red having the following wavelengths. The laser beam of blue has a wavelength of approximately 400 nm to 430 nm. The laser beam of green has a wavelength of approximately 530 nm. The laser beam of red has a wavelength of approximately 670 nm. By using the laser beams of blue, green and red having the respective particular wavelengths, it is possible to accurately and rapidly perform the adjustment operation and to improve the treatment effects.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the present invention may be configured so that the projecting part emits the laser beams of different colors at a maximum output level of approximately 5 mW. With the above setting of the output level, it is possible to prevent retina disease and enhance safety and to improve the efficiency in treatment.
The laser beam treatment apparatus of the present invention may be configured so that the projecting part has a function of arbitrarily adjusting the condensing ranges of the laser beams at an outlet for the laser beams. Thus, it is possible to project the laser beams onto a target range in the treatment object region and improve the efficiency in treatment.